THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may go to the archive below and find it.
Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for
the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Jeremiah
CHAPTER 17
1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; 2 Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
The sins of men are written upon their hearts! The writing is permanent! Those sins even overwrite the sacrifices of men ("...and upon the horns of your altars...").
As long as men worship their own way and gods of their imagination (verse 2), those sins are permanently written.
The only thing that can erase those sins is the blood of Jesus Christ! And God promises that all who repent and surrender to Jesus will have their sins overwritten by the blood of Jesus! (see Jeremiah 31:31-34, 1John 1:7)
3 O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders. 4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever. 5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Those who do NOT trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour "discontinue" from the heritage that God gave to the world. And their judgment shall be to serve in the "fire" of God's anger for eternity.
"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
The person who trusts in Jesus is contrasted to the one who does not. The believer is like a tree planted by the river (see Psalm 1:1-3). He will both receive the overwriting of Jesus' blood and also will be a blessing in the world where he lives telling others of Jesus.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. 12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. KJV
Man's heart is so terribly depraved by sinfulness that man himself cannot search the depths of his own depravity. Only God Himself can read the true picture in man's heart.
ALL, and may I repeat ALL men are wicked sinners (Romans 3:23). Were it not for the grace and mercy of our Lord every human being would be filled with lies, theft, adulterousness, and murder (Mark 7:20-23).
If we are left to ourselves (verse 11), we shall have an "end" as a "fool," who does not acknowledge God and will be given everlasting punishment in the "lake of fire."
However, those who surrender to Jesus are given a NEW HEART (2Corinthians 5:17), and their end shall be the "sanctuary" of God (verse 12).
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. 14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
Only the LORD, God of Israel is the HOPE of mankind! And He has become our Saviour (Isaiah 43:11, John 1:29).
If men will turn to God in Christ, they will be "healed" from the heart condition of sinfulness, and be given eternal life.
15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. 16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. 17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. 18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. 19 Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: 21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. 23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. 24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; 25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever. 26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD. 27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
People today question the Word of God just as Judah questioned Jeremiah (verse 15). But if people will just read God's Word, they will come to KNOW Him and His love for them.
May it be that all Christians today can respond in the same positive manner as Jeremiah to people who question God and His Word (verse 16). Jeremiah was FAITHFUL!
Jeremiah continually offered the TRUTH OF GOD to all mankind. For those who "persecuted," or hated the Word of truth, Jeremiah offered eternal punishment, which is God's judgment.
However, to those who repented and trusted, Jeremiah offered the same faith he himself had received through surrender (verses 24-26).
Today, we have received the TRUTH OF GOD in Jesus Christ. God Himself came in flesh to atone for man sins! And the TRUTH OF GOD that we can offer the world is twofold:
1. Those who trust in Christ shall receive atonement for sin, new hearts and eternal life with God.
2. Those who refuse Christ shall receive the just judgment of eternal existence without Him in a place of constant torment.
If the TRUTH OF GOD is not presented, man has no opportunity to make a choice. And a choice MUST be made!
"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." (Matthew 12:30)
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.